Improvement in wagon-seat locks



J. HILL & a. J. s'rmnwsoiq.

WAGON SEAT LOCK.

No.176,530. Patented April 25, 1876.

N. PFIERS. PHDTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON D C UNITED STATES PATENT @FFTGE.

JOSEPH HILL AND GEORGE J. STEPHENSON, OF WABASH, INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN WAGON-SEAT LOCKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 176,530, dated April 25, 1876; application filed January 25, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JosEPE HILL and GEo. J. STEPHENSON, of Wabash, in the county of Wabash and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Carriage-Seat Fasteners; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of the lock or latch with the seat-iron inserted. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the look, after the line was in Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a side view of the seat-iron detached.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

This invention relates to that class of seatfastene'rs in which the seat-iron is kept in place, and prevented from coming out, by a lock or catch and it consists in the construction of such lock or catch in such a manner that dust shall be prevented from entering into the lock, whether this is in use or not, substantially as hereinafter more fully shown and described.

In the drawing, A is a seat-iron, which is bolted onto the seat, the lower end a of the iron projecting downwardly from the side of the seat. The end a of the seat-iron has a notch, b, which engages with the latch, and a shoulder, c. which abuts upon the edge of the same, and it is beveled, as shown at 01, so as to permit it to enter more readily into the latch or look. This latter is secured upon the side of the wagon, flush with the edge of the same. It consists of a box, 0, having a recess, D, in which is pivoted, between the sides of box 0, a catch, E, having thumb-piece H,

' under which is placed the coiled spring F, by

which the catch is operated. Box 0 has .a mortise or opening for the reception of end d of the seat-iron, which is pushed into it until catch E engages with notch 11, and shoulder c abuts upon the edge of the box. The fastening is then complete, and the seat cannot be removed until thumb-piece H is depressed, when the catch E is thrown out of operation, and the end a d of the seat-iron, by which the seat is kept in place, can be easily withdrawn.

It will be observed that, whether the seatiron is inserted into the lock or not, the piece E H, which composes the catch, covers completely the aperture or recess D in the box 0, in which it works, fitting closely along the edges thereof, so that dust cannot enter. This is an important advantage, because, when vehicles having fastenings for the seats, that have unprotected or only partially-protected apertures or openings, are used upon dusty roads, the fine particles of dust will enter into the lock or catch forming the fastening, and clog up its mechanism.

We are aware that seat-fasteners have been constructed having a spring arranged to engage with a notch in the seat-iron, and thus in a manner forming a substitute for the latch E in our device; but this is objectionable, because such spring, unless made very stout, is very apt to break or become injured by the jolting of the vehicle when used upon rough roads. Neither does it hold the seat-iron as firmly and safely as the latch E in our device.

Having thus described our invention, we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States-- The seat lock or catch herein described, consisting of the box (3, having recess I), coiled spring F, and catch-plate E H, the latter pivoted in box 0, so as to form a close-fitting cover for the recess or aperture wherein it works, in combination with the seat-iron A, having beveled point 07, notch 12, and shoulder c, all constructed, combined, and operating substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereto aflixed our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH HILL. GEORGE J. STEPHENSON.

Witnesses: Y

ALVAH TAYLOR, FRANK ONEIL, H. G. DEPUY. 

